Gas-operated automatic rifle



Dec. 14, 1948. A. v. I JuTlc,

GAS OPERATED AUTOMTIC RIFLE Filed March 3, 1945 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 14, 1948 ATENT i Tiff,

GAS-OPERATED AUTOMATIC RIFLE Albert V. Ljutic, Verona, Calif.

Application March 3, 1945, Serial No. 580,865

1 Claim. 1 y

kThis invention relates to rearms and particularly to a gas operated automatic rearm wherein a portion of the gases liberated upon each discharge is utilized'to-unlock, move back the :breech bolt mechanism, operate the cartridge extraction and discharge mechanism, operate the cartridge feeding mechanism to feed in a fresh cartridge andcompress a spring or springs Which operate to` close and lock the breech bolt and, thereafter, to actuate the ring pin. The firearm can be operated automatically or, in the so called semi-automatic manner, by inclusion of a trigger mechanism which must be actuated to release the iiringV pins and so initiate another gun operation. 1'

The rearm of the present invention is particularly characterized by its simplicity and by its inclusion of relatively `few moving parts. Further, the automatic firearm of this invention is characterized Ain thatit can be used successfully with relatively heavy powder chargeaproviding pressures of the order of 50,000 pounds per square inch, and higher. In gas operated rearms heretofore, utilization of such charges has not been possible'or practical. I have discovered that this was due' to the .creation of such extremely high pressures in the barrel, prior to discharge of the projectile from the gun that the cartridge could not be extracted, the latter being expanded and in such tight engagement with the breech that it could not be extracted. I have discovered that by interposing a device, which I term a gas relay, between the mechanism utilized to operate the breech bolt and the gas takeoi from the barrel, application of pressure and actuation of the breech bolt mechanism can be delayed until the projectile has left the barrel and the pressure in the barrel has been released to a point whereat the cartridge can be readily extracted from the breech by conventional means.

By utilizing the gas relay of the present invention I am also enabled to take olf the gases at a point spaced from' the end of the barrel/a considerable distance. In this way, I need only Withdraw a relatively small gas volume so that only a negligible reduction in projectal velocity is experienced. Also, I am able to use the heaviest charges, being limited in this extent not by the automatic features of the Weapon but by the design and materials of .construction of the operating elements, as is the case in any nonautomatic Weapon.

The rearm of the present invention is also characterised by its simplicity and the ease with which it can be taken apart for checking, repair and cleaning.

The invention includes numerous objects and features of advantage, some of which, together with the foregoing, will appear hereinafter wherein the present preferred form of automatic Weapon of this invention is disclosed.

In the drawing, Figure l is a rear end view of the gas relay of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section through the gas relay.

Figure 3 is a front end elevation of the gas relay.

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively side elevations partly in section showing the gas relay in position on a gun barrel, Figure 5 including a showing of a projectile in position with the gas passing through the several passages from the gun barrel through the relay to actuate the piston.

As appears in the drawing, the rearm includes means for supporting the Weapon for firing. In

the form illustrated, I` have shown a typical wooden stock indicated generally by numeral 5l having a butt 52 adaptedto be placed against the shoulder and a grip portion 53 enabling the weapon to be held and sighted in the usual manner. Of course, the weapon can be mounted upon a tripod or other suitable means for firing, as is desired.

The Weapon includes a barrel, generally indicated at 54, a front sight 55 and a rear peepn sight generally indicated by numeral 55 and presently described in detail. At the rear of the barrel, a receiver 51 is provided. and in this is slidably mounted a bolt 5S having a cartridge extractor 59 and a firing pin El. A cover 52 is provided for the breech to seal out rain, dust and other objectionable foreign matter.

Intermediate the ends of the barrel and preferably about halfway between each end of the barrel I provide a gas outlet lli. This is preferably in the form of a hole which tap-ers outwardly from the interior of the barrel. About the barrel at this point I mount a sleeve member @2, the sleeve having an aperture @i3 therein continuing the aperture and a passage or groove "i3 for admitting gases from the barrel into a charnber 64 formed in a depending portion of the sleeve member. The sleeve is apertured as at 66 to pass a piston rod 6l, the latter carrying a piston 68 slideable in the chamber A piston rod B1 is formed with a shoulder E@ thereon, the latter abutting a tubular member 'il slideably supported upon the piston rod and biased toward the muzzle end of the gun by spring 'l2 positioned `between an end of the tubular member 'El and xed portion 16 on the receiver which also slide- 1-5 is positioned to receive gases released from the aperture 4l in the gun barrel and to relay these, after a suitable time interval, for expansive force application to piston 68. In the form of the device shown in Figures 1-5 the relay is shown in the form of a plug generally indicated by numeral d3 and having screw threads 44 thereon permitting the plug to be screwed into the end of chamber 64. The plug includes a groove 'I3 formed therein between circular shoulders 14 and l5, the-latter fitting snugly in the chamber 64 to confine the passage of gases emitted from the aperture 4| to travel about the groove 13. Opposite to the aperture 4 i, through which the gases are released and admitted into the groove '13, I provide an aperture (i5 for releasing the gases into the interior chamber portion "il of the plugand thence into the chamber 54 with which the chamber Il of the plug is in immediate communication.

In Figure 5, I have depicted the gases as forcing a suitable projectile 19, in this case a bullet, from the gun. and have indicated the passage of gases through the part ft2 about the groove lf3 and their eventual admission into the chamber 61S whereby the piston 68 is forcedl rearwardly. The view shown in Figure 5 is inaccurate in that when the piston 68 is forced rearwardly the projectile will have left the end of the gun barrel; the projectile isshown, however, for purposes of illustration.

Heretofore, automatic' rearms have either required relatively low-pressure chargesl or have interposed mechanical devices operating by means other than the expansive force of a portion of the burned charge. Some prior art devices have attempted utilization of the expansive force by interposing a restriction, usually adjustable, in the gas passage. These, however, do not delay the The tortuous passage 4 provided by my relay is of such extent that, without diminishing the available force, the application time thereof is delayed until the projectile has left the barrel whereby the force operation occurs at th-e correct instant. The tortuous passage can be provided by various means. For example, the passage can be provided about the barrel in member 42, the gases encircling the barrel and then entering the piston chamber.

I claim: 1

In a firearm, a barrel having a cartridge ring chamber, a receiver, mechanism in said receiver for feeding a cartridge into said firing chamber and for extracting the case therefrom after firing; means for operating said mechanism comprising a sleeve mounted on said barrel and having in a depending portion thereof a cylinder and a piston movable in said cylinder to actuate said mechanism upon admission of gases from said barrel to said cylinder, a rst gas port for admitting gases to said cylinder from said barrel at a point -intermediate the ends thereof, a hollow circular plugin said cylinder having a gas passage about the outer periphery thereof for receiving gases from ,said rst gas port, said first gas port opening from said barrel and flaring outwardly through said sleeve to deliver gases from said barrel to said gas passage and a second gas port opening from said gas passage to the interior of said hollow plug.

.ALBERT V. LJUTIC.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date l 804,986 Stamm NOV. 21, 1905 1,387,889 Johnston Allg. 16,. 1921 1,388,879 NGISOII Allg. 30, 1921l 2,409,225 Schach OC. 15, 19464 

